


30 Day BenKaru Challenge -- Day 4, How They Met

by tinynerdlet



Series: 30 Day BenKaru Challenge [4]
Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-08
Updated: 2016-09-08
Packaged: 2018-08-13 23:16:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 571
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7989853
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tinynerdlet/pseuds/tinynerdlet
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After weeks of seemingly unending studying, Hikaru Sulu is given a chance to escape Starfleet Academy for a few hours.  Although the locale isn't somewhere he'd normally go, Hikaru find the company to be far more enjoyable.</p>
            </blockquote>





	30 Day BenKaru Challenge -- Day 4, How They Met

**Author's Note:**

> [See Story On Tumblr](http://spoopynerdlet.tumblr.com/post/148615248543/day-4-of-benkaru-how-they-met)

Sulu only agreed to go on a whim.

He’d spent the week holed up in his dorm room reading over text and manuals so dense and chaotic that his brain nearly ruptured at the effort. He thought he might throw his tablet out the window if he was forced into this much longer. Then a classmate, a Mr. Brannonby, asked if he would be interested in joining him at a poetry reading.

“Wine, words, and women,” Brannonby said.

In truth, Sulu wasn’t interested in any of those things. Poetry he could give a fair chance to, but wine and women? Definitely no goes. He thought about passing on the offer, but then he glanced down and the tablet glowing under his eyes.

Poetry won that day.

They arrived at the bar at 6:47PM. The readings hadn’t started yet but a crowd had started to gather inside the walls. Brannonby strolled to the bar to grab some glass while Sulu waited near the doorway and looked around.

No one from Starfleet was there. At least no one in uniform. Attire ranged from t-shirt and jeans to button-ups and slacks, the latter worn, no doubt, by those that came straight after work. Small tables and booths had started to fill with unfamiliar faces but there were a few left. He knew Brannonby wouldn’t take one. He thought about taking one for himself, but a sole listener was better off at the bar, sipping on water instead of wine so he wouldn’t get sick.

“I haven’t seen you here before,” a voice said. Sulu looked in it’s direction.

A man stood next to him and smiled politely his way. He was in the “came from work” crown, it looked like, with his slacks and button-up, but he also wore a gray, closed cardigan that hung a little loosely off of him. A thin folder was tucked under his left arm. Sulu smiled in return and faced him.

“That’s because I haven’t been here before,” he paused to put out his right hand, “Hikaru Sulu.” The man took it.

“Ben Jung.” They let go. Sulu’s arm fell back to his side. “What called you here today, Mr. Sulu?”

“A friend invited me and I thought it would be nice to get away from my studies for a while.”

“You’re a student?” It was phrased as more of a statement than a question, but Sulu didn’t mind.

“At Starfleet Academy, yes. Do you come here often?”

“Every week. I read my poetry here when I have some to share.”

The chatter in the room immediately died down as a microphone was tapped. Sulu peered across the room. A young woman had taken the stage with a smile. “If everyone could be seated, please, we’re about to get started.”

“I should let you get back to your friend,” Ben said, his voice a low whisper. Sulu looked towards the bar where Brannonby, working his young, flirtatious magic, had already started talking up a girl who seemed to be enjoying his advances.

“My friend’s a little to preoccupied to enjoy my company right now,” Sulu said, looking back to Ben. Ben glanced towards the bar for a moment before smiling back at Sulu.

“Sit with me, then.”

They sat down at a small table off in the corner. It’s the same table Sulu sat the week after that, too. That time, Brannonby wasn’t the reason he went.


End file.
